Page 59 of Pistol Perfect

But they had things almost situated. The girls really didn’t have a whole lot of stuff, and James figured there would be a shopping trip or more in their near future.

There weren’t any toys, just a couple of dolls, and very few clothes that weren’t worn or torn or both.

That wasn’t something he wanted to talk about in front of the girls though.

He also wanted to discuss with Mabel the things that Janice had been saying while he was talking to the girls about the filly.

They had to stop and feed the foal, and each of the girls had come up with a D name that they had written on a piece of paper, folded, and put into a hat.

When Aunt Carol arrived, they were going to have her draw a name, and each of the girls had agreed that whatever name was drawn would be the name of the filly.

The filly still wasn’t getting up on her own, not for the first three feedings that they’d given her.

Mabel said it might just take a little while until she got her strength built up, but the idea that the filly couldn’t get up herself worried James.

He trusted his wife and figured she knew better than he did, so he tried not to show that he was concerned. It wouldn’t be good for the girls anyway.

They were about to break for lunch when they heard Aunt Carol arrive.

“Hello?” she called. “Are there some new girls in the house today?” she said as she walked in.

“Is that Aunt Carol?” Annabelle said, tilting her head and listening.

“Sure sounds like it. Let’s get out of here; it’s about time for lunch anyway.”

The girls all ran for the stairs. He wasn’t sure whether it was the mention of lunch or the fact that he’d been casually talking about Aunt Carol as they worked through the morning, mentioning what a good cook she was, telling them a few stories about things Aunt Carol had done with him when he was growing up. How he had such a good time at her house, and how she took him to the zoo and on his first airplane ride, and how they’d seen the ocean together. As well as the picnic they’d had in the backyard, and how she’d allowed him to set up a lemonade stand on the sidewalk in front of her house when he was trying to earn money to buy a pair of roller skates.

The girls had asked if they could set up a lemonade stand, and James had said he was fine with that, but that sometimes a person had to consider their location and whether or not the business they wanted to engage in would be the right fit for the area they were in.

The girls looked at him like he was crazy, and then he said, “How many cars have you seen go by our front porch since you arrived here?”

It took a little bit for the light to dawn in their eyes, but then they realized that he was saying that they wouldn’t have any customers.

They looked kind of sad after that, but he said that if they put their heads to it, maybe they could figure out another business they could engage in.

Like caring for orphan foals for people who couldn’t do it, Mabel suggested as they fed the filly for the fourth time.

“Hey, Aunt Carol, I found those three little girls you were talking about. They came with clothes and a couple of dolls, now they think they need to move into rooms upstairs,” James said as he walked in the kitchen with the girls running around on all sides of him.

Mabel brought up the rear, and as he turned to watch her walk in the kitchen, he noted her bright, red cheeks and shining eyes, and knew she’d been having a great morning.

Lark had said that she would try to cover all the calls and that she would only call Mabel if she absolutely needed to.

James appreciated that, because he wanted Mabel to be there to settle into the family together.

He was glad about that decision, since she seemed to really enjoy the children. Maybe he was putting too much stock in things, but she seemed to really enjoy being around him, too.

They introduced the girls to Aunt Carol, and they gathered around her, asking if she really did have picnics in the backyard and lemonade stands on the front porch.

Her eyes twinkled, and she looked up at James, almost as though sayingyou told my secrets, but she smiled, and he figured that she felt the same way he did when Mabel had smoothed the way for him.

She had the girls helping her make lunch in no time at all while he and Mabel set the table.

He put his arm around her waist, and drew her to him, and said, “You look happy.”

“I am. I... I never envisioned a day like today, but it’s been the best of days.”

“For me too. Thank you.”